The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly refuted claims made by the Congress party regarding "vote theft" in Bihar, particularly focusing on a video shared by the party on social media. The ECI has declared the video to be "AI-generated" and a "clear attempt to mislead the voters of Bihar". This action by the ECI comes amidst heightened political tensions surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and allegations of voter list manipulation.

The contested video, posted by the Congress party on X (formerly Twitter), featured individuals claiming that votes had been stolen through various means, such as marking living voters as deceased or registering large numbers of fake voters at single addresses. The video also called for the removal of those involved in the alleged "theft" of votes and urged people to join Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar, organized to protest against the alleged irregularities in the voter rolls.

In response, the Election Commission asserted that the electoral rolls in Bihar are being prepared with transparency and the involvement of all stakeholders. The ECI emphasized that the SIR is being conducted according to the law, with the participation of over 90,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the full involvement of all electors. The poll body has also shared details of its meetings with representatives of various political parties before, during, and after the publication of draft electoral rolls in Bihar, highlighting its commitment to transparency throughout the process.

This is not the first time the ECI has addressed the Congress party's accusations of electoral fraud. Previously, the ECI dismissed similar claims made by Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc as "factually incorrect," providing documents and video testimonials from representatives of political parties, including the Congress itself, to support its position. The ECI has also refuted allegations of deleting voters without prior notice and has defended its decision not to release the names of deleted voters from Bihar.

Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the Election Commission, even using a parody video to highlight alleged vote theft. He announced the launch of "VoterAdhikarYatra" from August 17 in Bihar, calling it a direct fight against vote theft. The Congress party has also launched a "Vote Chori se Azaadi" campaign to support Rahul's allegations against the Election Commission and the BJP.

The ECI has challenged Rahul Gandhi to provide concrete proof to support his claims of vote theft, demanding a signed affidavit as per electoral rules, or to apologize to the nation. The Commission has stated that it is operating in an environment of sharp political hostility and that its decisions are being contested for political purposes. Despite the ECI's repeated rebuttals and demands for evidence, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have continued toVoice concerns about irregularities in voter lists and to accuse the ECI of bias.